Conditions

The diagnosis for Interstitial Lung Disease includes the following tests and examinations: History and Physical Examination: Your doctor may ask about the onset, severity, rate of worsening of symptoms, the family history, smoking and drug history, and the occupational and environmental exposure history. Smoking can cause and worsen ILDs. 6-minute walk test: The doctor may perform a 6-minute walk test to assess the aerobic exercise capacity and thus the lung and heart function. The patient…

There are more than 200 types of Interstitial Lung Diseases. Some of the common types of ILD are: Related to Exposure: Drug exposure like: Chemotherapy, methotrexate, etc. Occupational or environmental: inorganic dust like Asbestosis- Asbestosis is a chronic lung condition associated with prolonged exposure to high concentrations of asbestos fibers in the air. It may cause symptoms like shortness of breath, persistent dry cough, tightness in the chest or chest pain, loss of weight…

Here are some of the common symptoms of ILD or Interstitial Lung Disease: Dry Cough- A hacking cough with no production of phlegm. If the cough persists for 3 or more weeks, and is accompanied by blood and/or yellowish or greenish phlegm, one should see a doctor and have them check it out. Shortness of breath that worsens on physical exertion or exercise Extreme Fatigue- unusual tiredness even on routine day-to-day activities. Discomfort in chest- It may present as tightness in chest, pain or…

The following are some of the causes and risk factors of ILD Genetics, lifestyle habits, environmental factors Some medications or other medical conditions such as hepatitis C, tuberculosis, pneumonia, COPD or Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease may cause ILDs. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)- when the cause is “unknown” Exposure to dust or mold in the environment may also cause some ILDs like asbestos-related lung diseases, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, etc. Some ILDs are more…

What is Interstitial Lung Disease To understand what Interstitial lung diseases actually are let’s try and understand what our lungs look like. Lungs are cylindrical organs, with a rounded, narrow peak at the top called the apex. At the base of the lungs is a broad, curved base that rests on the flattened surface of the diaphragm. The trachea (windpipe) divides into two main tubes called bronchus that divide several times after entering the lungs to form smaller tubes called bronchioles that…

While fever is a normal response to infection, fever during cancer treatment needs to be taken seriously since the body’s immunity is compromised. Read on to understand how cancer treatment impacts immune systems, fever. Fever or pyrexia is a higher body temperature than normal. It may be due to an infection from bacteria, virus, fungus, parasite or even inflammation due to a disease or trauma. Fever is caused by substances called pyrogens. Contrary to what one may believe, fever is a good…

We have all struggled with a change in consistency of stools whether it’s diarrhoea or constipation or something in between. We have also at some point seen a change in colour or texture of the stools of our kids or ourselves and wondered what that could mean. We are here to tell you everything a change in your stools could mean and when a stool test is needed. Stools or faeces are solid waste products that are formed in the large intestine and is made up of undigested food waste after the…

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are the drug of choice for alleviating pain. However it is important to understand the effects of them on various organs and use them with care.  In ancient times, herbs and plants were used to treat pain, fever, sores, swelling and inflammation. In 1879, aspirin was discovered and to this date continues to be widely used by people to deal with pain and inflammation. Aspirin belongs to a class of drugs called NSAIDs which are known for their…

Dr. Dinesh Khanna, (Professor of Medicine at University of Michigan, USA.), spoke about Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) and its treatment in scleroderma at the 2024 Sclerocon conference organized by Scleroderma India. Dr. Khanna highlighted that lung fibrosis affects 60% to 70% of scleroderma patients and emphasized the importance of early diagnosis and timely treatment. He also discussed the role of autoantibodies, the necessity of immunizations and shed light on ongoing clinical trials for…